1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to the field of electronic software distribution. In particular, the present invention is related to an automated method for software unlocking and payment processing to allow execution of the software by a user on a client computing system in a client-server computing environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Sales of products and services traditionally have been transacted by sales people or agents. More recently, sales of products and services, in particular high technology products, including software products, have been transacted by a combination of sales people and electronic delivery and/or payment systems. Consumers today increasingly expect immediate access to products, services and information, via telecommunications-, intranet-, Internet-, cable-, and satellite-based commerce systems or combinations thereof.
Telecommunications technology including predictive dialers, automated call management systems and database management technology has enabled "teleservice" to become a more cost-effective way of reaching consumers. Inbound teleservice activity, often in a customer service application, is growing rapidly, placing demands on corporate staffing requirements to handle increased call loads while providing faster delivery of products, services, and information to the consumer.
Moreover, communications between customers and vendors are labor intensive with telephone service representatives providing the primary link between a vendor and its customers. The representatives are responsible for a customer's impressions. Although labor often represents a high percentage of vendor's costs, most vendors under-invest in their employees and have both high turnover and a high percentage of part-time employees.
To increase cost-effectiveness, what is needed is an automated inbound, non-operator intervention call-handling system, capable of operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, via which consumers can order products and services or obtain information without interaction with telephone service representatives. Automation provides the vendor with the opportunity to segment customers into those who can purchase products or services, or have their issues resolved automatically, and those who need personal attention that can be provided by fewer, better skilled, and higherpaid telephone service representatives. In particular, what is needed is an automated system via which consumers can order software products without interaction with telephone service representatives.